Cruise ship spills food waste onto the Great Barrier Reef

In August, a cruise ship dumped 27,000 liters of food waste and gray water into the Great Barrier Reef. The incident occurred on August 26th, but authorities were only informed two days later when the cruise line reported it. CNN reported that the ship was detained by Australian authorities upon its return to Sydney and fined 1.5 million U.S. dollars. Discharging waste into the reef is a serious offense, especially as the coral reefs are already suffering from climate change and environmental damage.

How many liters of waste were dumped into the Great Barrier Reef by the ship?

• 50,000 liters

• 15,000 liters

• 27,000 liters

• 30,000 liters

When did the authorities become aware of the waste dumping incident?

• Two days later

• One day later

• Immediately after the incident

• A week later

What was the financial penalty imposed on the cruise for dumping waste into the Great Barrier Reef?

• 2 million U.S. dollars

• 1.5 million U.S. dollars

• 1 million U.S. dollars

• 500,000 U.S. dollars

Which authority detained the cruise after the waste dumping incident?

• Local environmental groups

• International Maritime Organization

• U.S. authorities

• Australian authorities

Why is discharging waste into the Barrier Reef considered a serious offense?

• It is a source of food for local communities

• It is a major tourist attraction

• The coral reefs are already suffering from climate change and environmental damage

• It is a protected area with no human activity allowed